Microsoft may have inadvertently confirmed the price points of its Surface RT tablets prematurely. For a brief time this morning, Surface RT tablets were up for pre-order on Microsoft's website, and since there are no take-backs or do-overs on the Internet, we now know what Microsoft's pricing strategy looks like. The cost of entry starts at $499 for the 32GB version without a Touch Cover.

With a black Touch Cover, the 32GB model carries a $100 premium, selling for $599. There's also a 64GB Surface RT, which goes for $599 without a Touch Cover and $699 with one. Regardless of which one you pre-order, Microsoft promises to have it delivered to your door on October 26, the day Windows 8/RT is made available to the public.

Microsoft also revealed pricing information for its Touch Cover and Type Cover, listed at $119.99 and $129.99 respectively. The former looks like it will only be available in white initially (if purchased separately), and the latter in white, red, black, blue, and pink.

Microsoft said all along that Surface RT's pricing would be competitive, and that appears to be the case. As a point of reference, the new iPad with Retina Display runs $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, and $699 for 64GB. You can add $130 to each model for the 4G LTE version.

Keep your eyes peeled if you're interested in ordering a Surface RT tablet. While the pre-order page has been pulled offline, it probably won't be long before Microsoft relists it.